CH.5

[WARNING: EXTREMELY SENSITIVE CONTENT]

Serena felt a rush of relief wash over her the instant she stepped outside, as though the dirt and regrets of previous encounters and mistakes were being washed away.

She had sought refuge in this obscure establishment in a desperate attempt to find some sliver of tranquility and peace. And for a fleeting moment, she had discovered it at the bottom of an amber-filled glass and the warmth of a stranger's company. But his timing had been off by miles - a lifetime, really.

Had circumstances been different, she might have entertained his advances and given in to that long-buried need for intimacy and connection.

But not tonight. Maybe not ever, if she was being honest with herself.

Her unsteady steps led her to the front desk of the hotel, where she fully intended to book herself a room for the night to sleep off the copious amounts of alcohol sloshing through her system.

However, much to Serena's surprise and confusion, the impeccably dressed clerk informed her that a luxury suite had already been reserved and fully paid for in her name.

She knitted her brows and wondered if she should find out exactly who had made this last-minute arrangement.

Yet in her muddled state, she could only muster a slight shrug of acceptance. After the day she'd had, a soft bed and the promise of unconsciousness for a few blessed hours were more than needed.

"Here you are, Miss," said the receptionist cheerfully as she handed Serena a sleek key card. "Room 101 on our top floor - it's one of our most exquisite suites set aside for esteemed guests such as yourself."

Serena accepted the key card with furrowed brows, puzzled by this unexpected development. She couldn't remember making any reservations, but then again, alcohol had muddled up her memories and judgment.

She arrived at the door of Room 101 after navigating through plush carpeted halls at an unsteady step due to alcohol-induced clumsiness. She swiped the key card with shaking hands and found herself in an unfamiliar environment.

The room was bathed in soft lighting with just one solitary lamp casting its warm glow over an imposing king-sized bed that beckoned invitingly towards her tired body.

She swayed towards it and collapsed onto the plush bed. But then she noticed a sudden presence; there was a man lying still on the other side of the bed.

He was dressed in nothing but a bathrobe. His chest rose and sank in an irregular beat.

Confusion clouded Serena’s mind as she tried to recall if she had requested room service or if perhaps her driver had sent someone up to check on her. But no memories surfaced. And why would any staff member be lounging around in a bathrobe?

Suddenly, the man stirred awake. His eyes snapped open, locking on hers with a predatory intensity that set her heart pounding against her ribcage.

She tried to move away from him but found herself trapped by heavy limbs that refused to cooperate.

"Who are you?" Serena managed to slur out.

The man remained silent, instead choosing to rise from the bed and approach her with slow deliberate steps that reverberated unsettlingly in the silent room.

Serena noticed just how attractive he was as he neared; raven hair framed a strong jawline that could have been chiseled out of stone. However, there was something unnerving about him, a dark side hiding behind his good looks.

"You're not who I was expecting.” His deep and menacing voice sent chills down Serena's spine. "Get out!" he commanded harshly.

Serena frowned. She didn't like that tone one bit. "Who are you to order me around? This is my room and it’s you who should be leaving,” she retorted defiantly.

His aura seemed to darken at this challenge and his gaze turned icy, causing goosebumps to erupt over Serena's skin.

A lump formed in her throat. "I-I'm sorry... I think I've made a mistake." Serena stammered out an apology.

She slid on her stomach and pushed herself up to a crawling position with her unsteady hands pressed into the soft mattress.

The sudden movement caused her short dress to rise up, revealing the white lace thong that barely covered her femininity.

A low, guttural grunt slithered its way from the throat of the looming figure behind Serena.

The sound was as chilling as a winter breeze, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

Her slender figure froze, every muscle taut like a bowstring ready to snap. Alarm bells clanged frantically in her foggy mind.

He was on her before she could even gather the strength to protest or digest the whole situation.

His hulking body descended on her smaller frame like an avalanche, his weight pressing down with a relentless force that made breathing a Herculean task.

She strained against him, muscles screaming in protest as she tried to shove him off.

Her lips parted to scream for help, but all that came out was a choked gasp.

He pressed against her with unyielding determination and she could feel the scorching heat of his ragged breath searing into the delicate skin of her neck.

"Please," she whimpered pathetically, tears carving hot trails down her cheeks and pooling at the corners of her eyes. "Don’t."

However, he was deaf to her pleas; blind to her terror-stricken face. He didn't stop; he didn't even seem to register her words.

His lips descended on hers in a grotesque parody of a kiss while his tongue invaded her mouth with predatory hunger that twisted knots into her stomach.

An involuntary moan escaped her lips.

She felt herself being swallowed up by this horrifying sensation. It felt akin to drowning in murky waters while desperately gasping for air that wasn't there.

Everything escalated at breakneck speed. Time seemed to warp and distort around them when he rammed inside her with brutal force, tearing through her innocence like a rabid beast.

The raw agility of his intrusion stole the breath from her lungs, leaving her gasping and whimpering beneath him.